19th April - I'll Be Waiting When You Call

The cold weather of the weekend slowly moved away, and the temperatures warmed slightly through Monday despite the overcast conditions.  Today started overcast but slowly the clouds broke up and the sun appeared and by the middle of the afternoon it was clear blue skies, perfect for the late afternoon walk. There had been quite a bit of bird activity on the south coast, with good numbers of common migrants arriving in conditions not recognised to produce a fall of migrants.  As always I was hopeful, but at the same time resigned to the fact that the prime arrival time for migrants in Four Marks is usually around the 23rd to the 25th of the month.

Nevertheless I set off from the house in the sunshine determined that I would find something of interest.  I had only gone about 50 yards when a burst of song told me that I had found something.  In an oak tree covered in ivy a Firecrest was singing.  I waited and in no time the bird appeared.

This is now the seventh location that I have managed to find a singing Firecrest, they seem to be spreading, and numbers increasing around the patch.

I can't say that I am disappointed.

I never tire of seeing and watching them, and absolute gem of a bird.

Leaving the Firecrest I walked along Lymington Bottom with plenty of Robins and Blackbirds singing.  Walking up Brislands I found this male Blackbird singing while carrying worms.  I would imagine that the young have hatched and he has to feed them, but hasn't quite got out of the "singing to declare his territory while the female sits on the nest" habit.

As I came out into the open, with fields on both sides, Skylarks were singing in the sky above the fields.  The crops are now growing and seeing anything in them is now difficult.  The hope was that there could be Wheatear about but there was no chance of any in the surrounding fields.

On the main path into Old Down I counted eight singing Robins, and several could be seen feeding on the path.  I took the perimeter path around the north side of the wood, the path winding through this year's Bluebells.  The recent cold weather has probably held them back, and i estimated that they were currently at about 50% coverage. 

Once again it was that time of year to take the photographs of the lovely blue haze amongst the soft grey of the Hazel branches.

the sunshine and shadows adding to this iconic spring woodland scene.

In the distance I could hear Chiffchaffs singing, and there was the quick burst of a singing Blackcap, the first unusually of the year.  For the last four years I have had a pair of Blackcaps visiting the garden during the winter, but the winter just passed there has been none.  They have also been late arriving on the patch, this singing bird today being the first for the year, and about 10 days later than any singing bird over the last five years.

With these summer visitors singing away in the background the main chorus was provided by the Wrens.  Every so often one would appear and burst out a song, and then chase off any other Wren that came to close.  

With the forestry work over the last few years, and the fallen branches and trees the Wrens seem to have thrived, and their numbers in Old Down have definitely increased.

This bird was being wound up by another singing quite close, and in what I can only consider was an act of aggression it turned its back to the singer and waggled its tail in an upright position before flying off.

As I watched the Wren a Blackcap burst into song close by, and there was movement in a tree above me of a bird with a black head, but it turned out to be a Marsh Tit.

i carried on through the Bluebells and stopped to see if there was any sign yet of the Early Purple Orchids, but I couldn't find them.  As I reached the edge of the wood there was a large flock of mixed finches flying over the tree top, the calls were mixed up and I thought I heard Redpoll, but as I came out of the wood to check the trees on the edge all I could find were Yellowhammer and Linnet.

There were about 30 Yellowhammers and quite a few more Linnets.  They were coming off  the ploughed field into the trees as I walked around the wood to get a better view.  There was no sign or sound any more of any Redpoll, and I doubt there had been any, the behaviour just didn't fit with them.

As I walked towards the paddocks there were butterflies on the dry soil.  This is always a good spot for butterflies when the sun is out as it is sheltered and in the afternoon facing the sun.  First was a Peacock resting on a fallen branch.

Then a Small Tortoiseshell taken from an interesting angle.

I walked alongside the hedge at the top of the paddocks.  A Blue Tit was fly catching from the top of the bushes, but more interesting was a bird in the hedge that was dropping to the ground and then back.  I have seen Redstart here, and as I watched a flash of red raised my hopes, only for it to turn out to be close relative, the Robin.

As I walked back to the path Yellowhammer called from the top of the hedge.

Crossing into the next field I checked the hedge at the top of the field but with the same results only a Robin.  As I walked past the rabbit warren a warbler called from the Blackthorn.  The call was different to the familiar one the Chiffchaff has, and I stopped to see if it would appear and it did.

Pinkish legs and relatively long wings meant that this was a Willow Warbler, and it was feeding on the small insects attracted by the blossom of the Blackthorn.

Willow Warblers are not a common bid around the patch.  Typically there are one or two singing birds a year, but mostly around the Plain Farm area where there are youngish trees in plantations.  Last year struggled to find one until late June.  The fall I referred to along the south coast today was dominated by Willow Warblers so I could assume this was a passage bird passing through.  

It gave some of the best views I have had of Willow Warbler here on the patch.

From the paddocks I crossed the road and headed up Andrews Lane.  Over the horse stables there were at least six Swallows flying around.

One settling on the wires and conducting some evening yoga poses.

Where the lane is sided by hedges the birds became quite numerous.  Goldfinches and Chaffinches in the trees, Wrens singing from within the hedge and Blue Tits and Great Tits in the branches and on the hedge.

As I walked up the hill I pushed them all along in front of me and as I reached the last house I stopped to check the field and the surrounding hedges without anything unusual being found.

At the top of the hill a Willow Warbler burst into song, but as I searched the tree I didn't find the owner of the song, but a male Blackcap feeding around the tree's blossom.

The Willow Warbler was on the other side of the tree, and there was at least two feeding high up, confirming my thoughts that we were witnessing a passage of these warblers, as we never get three birds in the same location at any other time.

in the field at the top of the hill I was confronted once again with the bleats of lambs.  It would seem that these recently born as they were smaller and younger than those I had seen previously, the earlier lambs having been moved on to pastures new.  These lambs did not seem to concerned by me being close so I took the chance for some more pictures.

These two seem to be in conversations as they lie in the warm evening sunshine.

The copse at the top of the path is normally a good location to find warblers but it was quiet, and I walked around to Lye Way to look for Wheatear but again there was nothing there, so I headed back through Lye Way Farm, and then down towards Kitwood.  Yellowhammer were singing on the telegraph posts, but a little further I was able to capture one singing in a more natural location.

The Red-legged Partridges were still in the field opposite to the school.  One pair were visible on the horizon, but closer to the road were three, two of which were clearly a pair or it was a male with two females.  The one at the back looks a little shifty to me!

As I reached the crossroads I noticed colour in the tree above Alton Lane, and it turned out to be the male Kestrel once again.

Same tree, probably the same bird as previously, I would assume a nest nearby.  We shall have to wait and see.  Last year I found three Kestrel nests, and not in this area so this could be good news for the local population.

I walked home to the chorus of Blackbird, Robin, Chaffinch and Greenfinch around me.  It might not be in the same magnitude as the south coast falls, but I think I can safely say I have been able to record some migrant passage today.  It would have been nice to get a Redstart, but there is still plenty of time.

12th April - Shady's Back, Tell a Friend

Probably one of the warmest days of the year so far and we escaped the sunshine setting off those annoying April showers.  As a result I set off to Plain farm for the late afternoon, but before I left a male Brimstone flew through the garden.

As I parked at the bottom of the hill, I noticed patches of yellow in the grass on the field opposite, the Cowslips were out in force here.

I walked up the path towards the pond, where there were Chaffinches and Blue Tits but no sight or sound of the hoped for Warblers.  As I turned to walk to the barn two Peacock butterflies came off the wall, and flew around the grass, one settling on the ground to show off the wonderful markings and colour, they are a truly beautiful butterfly but suffer for being so common almost throughout the summer here in the UK.

Then suddenly two smaller orange butterflies flew past and caused absolute mayhem.  The Small Tortoiseshells seemed to upset the Peacocks and they just chased after the smaller butterfly, but it seemed to be the tortoiseshells that came off better, the Peacocks leaving the sun trap, and the Small Tortoiseshells taking over as they settled in the sunshine on the grass.

I left the barn and headed down the footpath towards the quarry, a single Chiffchaff sang from the Mountains Plantation, its song coming through the many singing Blackbirds.  At the quarry I walked around the top and looked down.  Another Chiffchaff was singing along with a distant Nuthatch and a Wren every so often.  I watched a Long-tailed Tit collecting the remains of an Old-man's beard, and around my feet a White-tailed Bumble Bee queen was searching the small purple flowers for nectar.

From the quarry I crossed the road, and stopped to watch two Brown hares in the field.  From their behaviour I would think these were young leveretts just away from the parent, probably siblings they seemed to be exploring the field.

i had seen a Red-legged Partridge and tried to get closer using the hedge as cover, but when I peered over it was gone, and above me could have been the reason for its disappearance as a Sparrowhawk glided past me.

There was no sign of any swallows around the farm buildings, in fact the only birds about was a male Chaffinch and the usual chirping House Sparrows.  I stopped to catch up with the gamekeeper, and he informed me that there has not been any sign of the Barn Owls locally this winter which was a little disappointing.  I did though get some more information that could be interesting as we move into spring and summer.

Walking up the hill and past the workshops the tree in the middle of the field dominates the view, the stark bare branches against the pale blue sky an indicator that we still have some way to go before we can claim spring is truly here.

i checked the fields as i always do, but the only bird to report was a rather handsome male Pheasant in amongst the rapeseed in the field to the south of the lane.

The hedge seemed to be full of mainly House Sparrows although I could hear the song of a Yellowhammer.  i looked for the Yellowhammer on the wires but the only bird present there was this Linnet.  

Pairs of Linnet could be seen and heard flying around, and dropping down into the fields.

In the trees by the cottages at the end of the lane another Chiffchaff was singing, and for the first time this year I was successful in getting some reasonable views and as a result some photographs.

By the way it was shaking itself and preening I think it must have just had a bath in one of the many puddles.  In between shakes it would reel off a few lines of song, before resorting to the contact call.

From the cottages I walked down the lane, it was very wet and muddy and as i walked I pushed a large flock of Yellowhammers and a few Chaffinches ahead of me, from within the bushes yet another Chiffchaff sang.

Along the lane the Gorse was in flower.  Gorse is a very opportunistic plant, flowering almost immediately the temperature warms up and the sun comes out.  This is why you almost see it flowering all year long.

i made my way through a very sticky, muddy field, and out onto Charlwood.  As i walked along the lane the bleats of the now much older looking lambs could be heard from the field on my right.  I stopped at the junction with the bridleway to scan the fields, and as i did so I was almost dive bombed by the first Swallow of the summer on the patch.

Just as the Swallow appeared a pair of lapwing went into display in the distance over the field, their calls alerting them to me.  I watched the Lapwing to see if they would come close but they kept their distance.  Returning to the Swallow it was winding low over the field, winding in and out of the sheep.  Very soon one became two Swallows, and then as I walked towards the house two became three, four, five and six.  I could hear them twittering as they flew around the house, and came low over the horse paddocks.

If you have been reading the "Away Blog" from Portugal you will know that I just can't resist trying to perfect my photography of hirundines in flight so of course I settled in to try with these newly arrived Swallows.  This one of quite a few attempts was not too bad.

Obviously the exertions of migration and the evening search for food took its toll and one had decided to rest on the overhead cables and that provided the easier opportunity to capture a new arrival.

I left the Swallows and carried on back towards the car.  Yellowhammers sang away in the distance and I watched pairs of Buzzards over the woods in full looping display flight.  All around I could hear the songs of the resident birds, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit and Wren, and every so often the quick snatch of a Chiffchaff high at the top of the Beech trees.

i returned too the car and drove along Lye Way in the hope that  there might be a Wheatear in the fields but I couldn't find anything.  So far the two new arrivals were Swallow and Chiffchaff.  I had hoped there would at least have been a singing Blackcap, they are late this year.  If the warm weather continues for the next few days then I am sure they will arrive.  But for now I will just have to be content with the Swallows, but remember six do not make a summer!

10th April - I'm Gonna Call Up Some Of My Buddies

The weekend has been quite dismal, Saturday was all about April showers and a cold wind, today was about sunshine but still with that cold wind.  All this was a long way from the time we had in Portugal, the details of which you can see here.  But its that time of year again, the time when Red-legged Partridges decide they want to become a garden bird, and not a bird of fields and farmland.  Looking out of my office window over the weekend I was amazed to see two of these dumpy birds walking nonchalantly along the roof of my neighbour's house.  Unfortunately by the time I could get the camera one had dropped off, leaving the other to perform acrobatics by standing on one leg.  I don't know what the attraction is of the gardens to them at this time of year, but over the last five years they have turned up like clockwork, I can only think that in pairs they are looking for a suitable nesting site. 

Lots of things about in the county over the weekend, so this afternoon after a family event I wondered this afternoon if there might be something about in Four Marks.  There was a decision to be made though, the weather wasn't inspiring and it was Tottenham v Man Utd on the television, then the news came in that the kick ff had been delayed so I set off to see if I could find something.  As I headed down Brislands I could see dark clouds gathering in the west, I wasn't going to be out for too long.

No Chiffchaffs singing along Brislands as I walked towards Old Down, but at the back of the field a female Roe Deer was grazing.

The daffodils are now wilting, and the Lesser Celandines look a little sad, but there was another yellow flower appearing in the verge, a small clump of Cowslips the first for the year.

As I came out into the open fields along Brislands I could see that the wild flowers were also beginning to show here.  There is always a good show around this time of year before the bracken grows too high and covers everything.

Along with the sad Celandines, Wood Anemones have now burst into flower.  They love the sun, the petals staying closed when its overcast.  This afternoon there was some watery sunshine and they were all in flower, petals open pointing towards the sun.

One interesting feature of the wood anemones is that Brislands Lane runs east to west with a hedge on either side, you can only find the significant clumps of Wood Anemone on the north side of the lane, this is where the sunshine gets.

I walked into Old Dow in almost silence, except for the odd burst of Wren there was no bird song, this was not a good sign.  Most of the trees are still to show their true colours, the leaves only just beginning to bud, however one Silver Birch for some reason was different to the rest showing a profusion of golden green leaves.

From the crossroads I headed to wards the cottage entrance and could hear what  I thought was a strange Blackbird song, you could hear the blackbird notes but they were not necessarily in the right order.  I scanned the trees because I knew it had to be a thrush of sorts somewhere.

I found it tucked away in the middle of a large Beech Tree.  It was a Mistle Thrush, first time I had found one singing here.  Sometimes known as a Storm Cock due to their habit of singing just before and during rain storms, this was not a good sign.

The path was quite muddy as I headed towards the style.  Once again I could see the ploughed field right to the edge and I inwardly moaned.  This was the site of the Blues and Brown Argus last year, I had hoped that they would return this year.  The are is always wet, and sheltered by the surrounding trees so it may not cultivate well, we shall have to see.  As I passed by though I was surprised to see the Mallard pair appear and then slowly walk away from me.  Like the Partridges they seem to get  lost at this time of year.

A Chiffchaff was singing in the Willow trees at the pond, but eluded me once again as I tried to get a photograph.  There was nothing on the water, and there was no sign of any Toad Spawn, maybe the erection of the sign to warn motorists has scared them all away, or just maybe breeding here has failed and they are just not returning.

A sign of spring though at the point  was the emerging Iris leaves, they all look a lovely lime-green at this stage.

From the high Beech trees surrounding the pond a Great Spotted Woodpecker called.  This is a good site for them, and you can either hear them drumming or calling from the trees, and they have nested here for several years.  I finally managed to find the owner of the call, but had to look through plenty of branches to get a view of the red vent feathers.

All the resident finches are now moving around in pairs.  Greenfinches are performing their fluttering display flights which make you think it could be a House Martin, and Goldfinches fly around together with their jingling calls, while Bullfinches hide in amongst the branches, their piping calls the only sign they are there.

Chaffinches are the most  approachable, the males singing from prominent positions while the drabber females skulk though the hedgerows.

As i came down Kitwood lane past the school I saw what  at first dismissed as a Woodpigeon fly up into a tree at the bottom of Alton Lane.  But then a series of alarm calls went out and I decided it might be worth a closer look, and was pleased to find a male Kestrel sitting on one of the branches.

I always love to see these falcons, a strong reminder of my child hood when they were the countries commonest bird of prey.

On a similar topic, when I stopped to find a calling Chiffchaff more alarm calls started up, and above me the current commonest British bird of prey appeared above me, in fact there were two, and they were displaying, the male soaring upwards and then diving down and clasping talons as they tumbled in the air.

I did mange to find the Chiffchaff, but again it flew off, I have not had much luck this year so far.  The Chiffchaff though appears to be the only summer migrant that has arrived in Four Marks.  I have not heard any Blackcaps singing, they are late this year, and there has been no sign of any hirundines.  The northerly winds probably being responsible for holding up any mass movement through the country.

This time last  year a lone Swallow had arrived along Gradwell and had to wait 10 days before it was joined by others.  It would seem that it has learnt its lesson and that it is staying with its friends this year.

I walked home with the dark grey clouds approaching closer.  The forecast is for it to be warmer through the week, with the winds going round to the south so lets hopew that has some influence on things.

5th April - Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

We have been away for the week after Easter, our travels taking us this time to the south west of Portugal and seven days walking between from the south to north west coast through some wonderful scenery and villages.  as always there will be details later on my other blog as I process the images.

While the weather was not as conducive to that which we have been used to over the past week, this afternoon saw the showers drift away and the end of the evening was bathed in sunshine despite a fresh breeze.  With the longer evening light now it was the perfect opportunity to get out around the patch in the hope of finding some early arrivals.  Spring does not suddenly arrive here in Four Marks, while areas south of here can enjoy sightings on hirundines, leaf warblers and wheatears it takes a while for them to settle in to their breeding areas, or just move through.  As I walked along Brislands Lane though I could hear at least three Chiffchaffs singing in the surrounding bare trees, but could not locate them at all.  Another bird singing was not so elusive, 

This male Chaffinch out in the opening delivering its familiar song, it has been described as similar to a bowler in cricket approaching the wicket and then in a flash a quick delivery.  If you get the chance listen to it and you may see exactly what is meant.

I turned into Gradwell and then took the footpath out towards Old Down.  Just before we left for our holiday the fields were being tilled and then seeded, and as I came out onto the field they looked neat, but I also noticed that the footpath was a little narrower.  As the path crosses the field to the wood I looked towards Brislands and could see that the farmer has now decided to do away with leaving ground along the edge of the field, ploughing and seeding right up to the edge of the hedge.  This was the case all the way around the field.

Here is another part of the village eroding away, not only do we have the meadows being lost to housing developments, the fields are becoming fortresses with gates and barbed wire surrounding them, hedgerows ripped out, and the valuable wildlife areas around the edge being ploughed under, removing the chance for flowers and seeds to grow to feed farmland birds and animals.  While we were walking in Portugal we passed fields with cereal crops with wild flowers growing amongst them, the hedgerows were full of flowers, and Corn and Cirl Buntings were singing everywhere.  A scene now lost to the British countryside, and most definitely here in Four Marks, it is very sad, slowly the area around the patch is becoming very sterile, I have seen the changes in the short amount of time I have been writing this blog.  In five years we have lost many fields and plots to more housing, and now the wildlife strips around the fields are going too.

As I crossed the field I heard the call of a Buzzard and saw two drifting towards the wood.  Coming up very fast behind them was a Rook that had probably been feeding in the field, it chased off the first bird then turned on the second.

The mobbing activity of the corvids can be very agressive, and I always find it amazing that the bird of prey takes no chances with the aggressor, making no attempt to truly fight back but looks to avoid any contact.  The risk is very high that they may become injured, and as a result unable to hunt and survive.  This Buzzard twisted away and then finally managed sufficient speed to escape to its partner in the wood.

I walked into the wood with the sound of more Chiffchaffs singing, in total I counted eleven birds singing within the wood.  I managed to find at least three of these songsters, but failed to photograph any.

I took the main path towards the west through the wood, in places the path was wet and muddy, but the recent rain was not enough to save a lot of the frog spawn.

In the area around the beech trees with the ring of wild Daffodils my feelings of concern about how the countryside is being abused rose once again.  It looks as if a trial bike has used the area to do stunts with all the Bluebell shoots cut up and mashed up, and worst of all, the Daffodil flowers all cut down and lying broken up.

I walked on, and the mood brightened a little as I came across the first significant clump of Bluebells of the season.

No doubt this will be the first of many photographs as the season progresses.

As well as the Bluebells there was also the first flowering Wood Anemones, a delicate flower that can be seen from late march until May, when the canopy becomes to dense to allow the light they thrive on.  The flower heads turn to towards the sun, and are almost translucent with feint pink veins.

I came out of the wood and then made my way down through the Desmond Paddocks.  In the field to my left the sheep had a few lambs, but they were a long way off.  Ahead of me before I crossed the style the small rabbit warren that is under the hedge was busy as the young Rabbit kittens were out enjoying the evening sunshine while feeding on the grass.

There was an adult nearby, and as I approached I heard it thump its leg on the ground, and the little ones reacted almost immediately dashing back to the safety of the burrow under the hedge.

I waited knowing that the young rabbits would probably want to return, and sure enough they began to appear above ground once again.

I scattered them again as I walked past the warren, heading for Andrews Lane.  The hedge was starting to flower, the Blackthorn blossom showing well in the sunshine.

As I walked up Andrews Lane I hoped to find a stray Swallow around the paddocks but there was nothing about.  I checked the paddocks in the hope of maybe a Ring Ouzel or Wheatear but could only find Woodpigeons and Magpies.  Around me two more Chiffchaffs were singing and there was also the nasal song of the Greenfinch, and every so often a burst of song from a Wren.

At the top of the lane it opens up as the path goes along side a large field, once again this was full of sheep, and lots of lambs.  Some dozing in the evening sunshine.

While others were just up to no good.

As I walked past the small copse another Chiffchaff put in a brief appearance after announcing its presence through the medium of song.  Lower down the Periwinkle was in flower, and with them this one Field Mouse-ear.

I walked around to the large fields on the other side of the farm, scanning them for signs of Wheatear, but there was nothing.  Away in the distance a large flock of Rooks were making the most of what looked like a freshly seeded field, but that was about it.  As I walked back a Raven flew over the familiar "gronk" confirming my identification.

The Horse Chestnuts around Lye Way farm are in various stages of growth, with the most advanced being this tree with the newly emerging leaves looking immaculate, but unfortunately by the time the conkers appear in September these leaves will have been ravaged once again by the leaf miner moth.

I could hear Yellowhammer singing from either side of the road, and away to the south the distant trees were lit by the low sun, and behind them the large cumulus clouds so typical of this time of year provided a lovely back drop.

In the field to my right as i headed back to the village there were signs of the yellow Rapeseed flowers emerging, not a good sign for those that suffer from hay fever.  The field looked empty but when a gas gun went off in the distance Woodpigeon burst from beneath the Rapeseed.

While in Portugal I saw two Woodpigeon, and was quite excited to find them.  Clearly the farming techniques there do not support the huge numbers we have here in the UK.  I would much rather we had the sounds and sights of the birds that enjoy the agriculture there in Portugal.

I headed down Kitwood towards the school, on my left there were more Rooks feeding in the seeded field, and also two pairs of Red-legged Partridges.  This is becoming a regular spot for them.

As I headed home I thought about the walk, as I said at the start of this post, Spring doesn't really heat up here in Four Marks until we get past the middle of the month.  Today there were definitely signs, plenty of bird song from the residents (apart from the newly arrived Chiffchaffs), and lots of fresh colour as the leaves start to appear, but nothing that convinces you of the change over yet.  After today we are in for some cooler and breezier weather once again.  This will surely block any progress so lets hope it doesn't stick around for too long.